


light ran down my limbs, stars in the sea

by verdent



Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 10:14:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24968041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/verdent/pseuds/verdent
Summary: now i've seen a broken trust in everyone i've ever lovedbeating heart, flesh and blood, flesh and bloodbut i've found a burning hope in everyone i've ever known- i knew how by ali dineena brief history of amethar rocks
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23





	light ran down my limbs, stars in the sea

Amethar holds Ruby in his arms where she shakes with an untenable fury, the wounds of the fall and the blade numb to the rasping beast burgeoning in his embrace, and suddenly he is a younger man again.

Holding them does not come naturally, but as they settle, perfect and wriggling, nestled into the crooks of his arms, so does he into the chair at Caramelinda’s bedside. Exhausted and sleeping she is grace and strength and far more suited for this than he is. The light of the late evening to his back illuminates them all in his presence, and no matter how focused his mind is in anticipation of every sound and motion from the figures in his arms he cannot help but wander in his thoughts.

In another world he would be doing this elsewhere, enthralled by someone else in the rolling hills of the Dairy Islands. The Sun would set over Castle Candy, and he would be far from it all.

“You need rest too.”

Roused gentle from his thoughts was Caramelinda’s voice. In the dark she reached out a hand and found his arm. In careful silence, he took it.

They looked at each other in tender amazement of all the failures in the universe which led them here. 

There was no other world.

This was all they had.

Castle Candy was quiet in a way that only made his stomach heavy and his thoughts louder. He focused on his footfalls as they echoed beneath him, desperately pushing away the barrage of memories, the noise that five pairs of feet make as they stumble after one another looking for trouble and Citrina always slowing to make sure he could keep up.  
Amethar never knew where he was going. When did the war end? A year ago? Really? Or was it still going on out there somewhere he could not find it. He felt as though he was always looking.

Surely, they missed one. 

The sky burnt orange over Candia as the Sun began to set. Workers had long left the hall, but as he passed, he still heard noises and not of the birds who liked to roost in the bodices of the unfinished statues. Entrance cracked just enough, he found the source.

Lazuli’s statue, missing panels and unpainted towered over Caramelinda where she stood at its base, low sobs ringing throughout the empty hall. In her hand she clutched tightly to the scrap of fabric Amethar had seen her store away in that precious cherry wood box on her nightstand. Those few inches of deep blue robe all she knew to hold onto in her mourning.

He pressed the door open further allowing himself to be heard as though he had much choice. His fiancé’s eyes darted towards him, already straightening her shoulders and composing herself until she realized who it was. Amethar closed the door behind him, meeting her gaze with all the moments they had spent between themselves not expecting nor wanting to remain standing on the other side of the war.

Amethar sat at the base of Sapphria’s statue, lowered his head, and wept.

“…regret to inform you of the death of your sister, the great primogen Citrina Rocks…”

The early morning air of the Candian fields were cause enough for the fire to roar in the tent between them, but Amethar heard none of it as Rococoa read aloud the letter between the remaining Rocks siblings.

“They’re going to canonize her.” She said dryly, expression blank as she slipped the letter into the fire.

“Do they think that’s enough? How does it even happen, she was-” Amethar roared, crying openly in his rage prolonged since Lazuli and Sapphria and now Citrina.

“Amethar stop! You can’t go speaking like that. We have enough enemies as is.”

“How can you say that?”

“Because I have to!” 

She always had to. He saw it now, her rage and sorrow and fury all compressed into the tight press of her lips and rigid stance as the heir of Candia.

“This is war Amethar.” Her eyes found where his hand rested upon the hilt of Payment Day across his lap.

“I know. I promise you I know.” She traveled the length of the tent to sit next to him.

“But I can’t lose you too.”

Rococoa wrapped her arms around him, and his sword clattered to the ground to return the embrace of his sister. Eyes brimmed with tears finally overflew as they wept.

The light of the sunrise outside broke through the tent flap.

Crushingly tight they held each other in what felt like an eternity for the last time.

Somewhere in the castle the Rocks family lessons instructor was seething and covered in paint, but Amethar had no means of knowing that as he followed his newly released sisters wildly through the halls.

“Guys, slow down! Amethar can’t keep up!” Citrina called in a partial whisper as she slowed her gait enough for her brother, Sapphria on her shoulders.

“He’ll just have to learn!” Rococoa returned, no care in the loudness of her voice as it rang throughout the hall.

They all turned a corner, Citrina with Sapphria halfway between the rest and Amethar in attempts to connect the two groups. 

As he turned behind them, he felt his feet slip from under him, the floor quickly meeting the rest of his body as he fell. His knee burned, only slightly skinned from the tumble, but all he knew to do was cry. 

Ringing throughout the hall, Citrina was at him in a moment with Sapphria, consoling him as Rococoa and Lazuli further down the hall stopped in their tracks and backpedaled for the youngest who they had not seen all day in their lessons.

Bleary-eyed he grew worried as they approached, fearful that they might tell him to leave or not let him play with them anymore.

“Come on soldier. This world won’t stop for you.” Lazuli spoke, young as she was and unparalleled in wisdom, smiling as Rococoa reached down to hoist him onto her shoulders. 

Amethar held on tight as she took off ahead of the others, the walls of Castle Candy speeding around them.

**Author's Note:**

> i sent an anon full of anxiety to @nonbinarywithaknife on tumblr because i wanted to get into writing and sharing things but wasn't sure how to go about it. the reason this fic exists in the first place is fully because of their response and the advice they provided which eased a lot of my fears. i really enjoyed writing this and hope someone out there did too <3
> 
> you can find me @mrtheinsatiable on tumblr!


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